Pressure cap for decanter units of coffee makers



Dec. 9, 1947. P. 1 MacMANUs 2,432,323

PRESSURE CAP FOR DECANTER UNITS OF COFFEE-MAKERS Filed 001;. 14, 1943 IIlH die IN VEN TOR.

j azzl. )VaM/amm ATTD R N EYE Patented Dec. 9, 1947 PRESSURE CAP FOR DECANTER QE" COFFEE MAKERS Paul Lawrence MacManus, New York, N. Y,

Application October 14, 1943, SerialiNo. 506,248!

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to; a: pressure closure for a container, and, more, especially to a pressure closure for the decanter unit of a coffee-maker.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a closure of they character stated which will embody a stopper adapted to seat so snugly within the mouth of the decanter unit as to effectively protect the contents of the unit, from deleterious, action of the atmosphere.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure of the character stated which will embody means adapted, when the. decanter unit. is on a heater, to. maintain the. stopper fully seated until there is generated Within the unit steam or vapor pressure above a predetermined degree, and to promptly return. the stopper to seated position on the escape. of the excess steam or vapor, whereby to enable the coffee to be maintained heated without exposing it to the atmosphere.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a closure of the character stated which will be adapted to be mounted on the decanter unit through th medium of the means by which the handletof theunit is secured to the unit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the nature of which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of a fragmentary portion of a decanter unit equipped with a closure constructed in accordance with my invention, the closure being shown in closed position by solid lines and in open position by broken lines.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a view in rear elevation of the closure detached from the decanter unit, and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the lin 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the drawing, A designates a fragmentary portion of the decanter unit of a coffee-maker, B the handle of the decanter unit, and C the band by which the handle is secured to the decanter unit.

My improved closure which is generally designated D, comprises a stopper Ill having a convex lower side Illa which may weigh about 2 oz. and a fiat upper side Iilb, and a disk ll of larger diameter than the upper side of the stopper l and arranged upon the said side of the stopper in concentric relation to the stopper. The lower side Illa of the stopper I0 is of such size and curvature as to fit snugly within and fully close the mouth of the decanter unit A, The projecting, edge portion of th disk It rests uponthe upper edge of the mouth of the decanter unit A when the stopper H1315 in seated position. An arm [2 extends diametrically across the upper side of the disk H, and it, the disk and the stopper ID are secured in assembled relation by a bolt [3. The arm t2 extends rearwardly beyond, the stopper H} and disk- I land is provided at apoint. rearwardly of the; stopper,- and, with a Pi tot. bearing M.

e stopper In is pivotally mounted upon the decanter unit by a vertical braclset, it of invertedv U-form, the bight I511 of the; bracket extending through the bearing opening of the arm l2 to effect the pivotal mounting: of; thestopper. The pivoting bracket, [5, is provided; with elongated base members, l6. which are formed: integr l y therewith and which extend forwardly therefrom. The front ends of the base members i=6, are provided with rearwardly facing loops: tGa located at the upper sides of thebase. members The; sides; of th pivot bracket l5, and the base members l6, lie at opposite sides of the ears I! of the band C to and between which the forward end portion is of the handle B is secured by bolts IS. The lower ends of the sides of the pivot bracket l5 contact with the rear bolts IS, the base members it contact with the lower sides of the bolts, and the loops lBa of the base members embrace the front bolts, these parts being located between the ears I! and the heads of the bolts l9.

A leaf spring 20 underlies, and contacts with, the lower side of the arm l2 rearwardly of the pivot of the arm. The leaf spring 20 has its rear end secured to the upper side of the handle B by a screw 2|, the front end of the spring being free to enable the spring to flex during the opening or closing of the stopper l0. Since the tension exerted by the spring is designed to bear a relationship to the weight of the stopper l0 pressure generated by steam within the decanter will automatically lift the stopper to permit escape of steam, whereupon the stopper will again assume seating position.

That portion of the arm [2 extending rearwardly beyond the pivot l5a provides means by which the stopper I0 may be conveniently opened by the thumb of the hand grasping the handle B. The upper side of the arm extension l2a may be of any desired or required length to best adapt it for use in the opening of the stopper [0. The arm extension l2a is provided in its upper side with a thumb receiving recess [2b and its rear end is curved as at I20.

To apply my improved closure to the decanter unit of a coffee-maker, it is only necessary to provide the handle B of the decanter unit with a slot 22 and a recess 23 for the reception of the rear end of the spring 20 and the bolt 2|, respectively. After the spring 22 has been secured in place by the screw 2|, the bolts l9 are loosened to permit the base members l6 of the pivot bracket to be engaged therewith between their heads and the clamp ears IT. The closure is securely held in place by turning upthe bolts I9. The spring 20 normally holds the stopper 10 in closed position by reason of its contact with the underside of the arm extension [211 rearwardly of the pivot l5a. When it is wished to open the stopper [0, preparatory'to pouring the contents of the decanter unit, downward pres-' sure is applied to the arm extension 12a by the thumb of the hand grasping the handle B. When the arm extension I2 a is released, the stopper i0 is returned to its closed position by the spring 20. The spring is also adapted to releasably maintain the stopper I0 in the opened position shown by broken lines in Figure 1. With the stopper 10 in this position, the decanter unit may be readily cleaned and used for the purpose of making coffee. When the stopper I0 is in fully opened position, the upper rear corner of the arm extension lZa contacts with the spring at a point below and forwardly of the pivot 150,.

From the foregoing, it should be understood that the closure may be easily and quickly applied to the decanter unit of a cofiee-maker, that it will protect the contents of the decanter unit from the deleterious action of the atmosphere while permitting the escape therefrom of excess steam or vapor that may be generated within the unit when it is on the heater, and that the closure is simple and inexpensive.

What is'claimed is: V

The combination of' a decanter unit having a mouth, a handle secured to theunit by bolts and a band, a stopper adapted to fit within the mouth of the decanter unit, a pivot bracket having a pivot portion and base members which are secured to said handle by said bolts, an arm secured to the stopper and pivoted on said pivot portion, an extension on the arm extending rearwardly beyond the pivot portion to provide means by which the stopper may be moved into open position and a spring which has one end secured to the handle and the opposite end coacting with the extension of the arm to hold the stopper in closed or open position.

PAUL LAWRENCE MAcMANUS.

REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date Number Name 425,352 Streeter Apr. 8, 1890 486,261 Mahoney Nov. 15, 1892 630,286 Cederstrom Aug. 1, 1899 952,428 Hafiey Mar. 15, 1910 1,173,057 Suit Feb. 22, 1916 1,174,091 Richards Mar. 7, 1916 1,324,869 Wolferrnann Dec. 16, 1919 1,446,474 Mahnken Feb. 27, 1923 1,470,686 Carpenter Oct. 16, 1923 1,494,165 Hall May 13, 1924 1,763,125 Baron June 10, 1930 2,087,664 Cory July 20, 1937 2,211,414 Francis Aug. 13, 1940 2,227,540 Fry Jan. 7, 1941 2,287,582 Weeks June 23, 1942 2,289,498 Hons July 14, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,195 France Jan. 25, 1917 365,836 Italy Dec. 14, 1938 

